Latch.



E. CROMPTON ISI C. L. CROOKS.

LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I5'. I9I8.

` Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

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EDWIN CROMPTON AND CHARLES L. CROOKS, 0F PUEBLO, COLORADO.

LATCH.

Application filed April 15, 1918.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, EDWIN CROMPTON and CHARLES L. CRooKs, citizens of the United States, and residents of Pueblo, in the county of Pueblo and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Iniprovements in Latches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention is an improvement in latches and, while of general applicability, it is especially adapted for use onautomobile doors. The principal obj ect of our invention is the provision of a combined latching and locking device, in which both the latching and locking operations are automatically ,performed by the act of closing the door Yand in which a single movement will both unlatch and unlock without the use of keys or the like. Further and more particular objects and advantages of our invention will later appear. from this specification.

l In the single sheet of drawings accompanying this application and forming va part hereof Figure 1 is a vertical section throughv a latch and keeper embodying our invention, the section through the `keeper being taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 4, and the part being shown in locked position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. lexcept that the keeper is shown in side elevation and the parts in unlocked position;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3*3 of Fig. 1;,and Y Fig. 4 is a face view of the` keeper.

Referring to the drawings, in which like characters designate like parts in the several views, it will be seen that our latch comprises a casing having parallelV sidefmembers 10, aV face plate 11 and preferably open at the rear. vThe side plates 10 are jolned by upper and lower transverse braces 12 which also serve as guides for the plunger 13. This plunger .is preferably reduced at its lower end as shown and encircled by a spring 14 which tends to hold the plunger in elevated position. The plunger 13 is'provided with a stop 15 adapted to engage. the underside of the upper brace 12, thus limiting upward travel of thevplunger, and also with a knob or handle 16 on its upper end whichv is located in convenient position in Y the upper surface of the door so that it may be engaged and depressed manuallyfto freev the latching and locking mechanism. The latching mechanism comprises a leaf Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

Serial N o. 228,529.

spring 17 secured at its lower end to the inner side of the face plate 11 and carrying atr its upper end a substantially semispherical knob 18. The knob 18 is so located as to travel in a circular recess 19 in the face plate 11, being substantially withdrawn therethrough when the leaf spring 17 is forced back.

The preferred form of keeper for "use with our latch is shown in face view in Fig. 4 and in side view in Fig. 2. This keeper comprises a face plate 20 having a semispherical recess 21 therein and provided on the side toward which the door opens with an inclined surface 22 opposite the recess 21. The upper end of the keeperplate is bent back out of the plane of 20 and is provided with a cam lug 23 whose outer face stands substantially in the plane of .the face 20. The' cam face 24 ofthe lug 23 is presented toward the side to which the door opens.

and this lug does not extend, as shownin where the socket 21 starts.

The plunger 13 carries rigidly projecting therefrom a finger 25 which extends outwardly and at an angle upwardly and projects from the front of the casing through a slot 26 therein, being provided on its outer extremity with a .substantially spherical head 27. Rigidly mounted on a transverse spindle 28, journaled .in theside members 10, there is a second linger 29 which is connected by a pin and slot to the plunger 13 and which has its outer extremity in position to contact with and lock the leaf spring 17 when in horizontal position.

Operation.

depressed the finger 25 will be so loweredA asV tofclear the surface 30 and the Enger 29 will be depressed to the position lshown in Fig.2 vwhich frees, the-leaf spring 17. If

now v4the parts be held inthis position a gentle pressure against the door will `cause A soY the knob 18 to be forced out of its socket as indicated in F ig. 2 and the door may be opened. YIf now the knob 1G be released the spring 14 will return the latch parts to the position of Fig. 1. If the door be forced shut the head 27 of the finger 25 Will first engage the cam surface 24 on the lug 23.`

This will depress the plunger'l and will free the spring 17 to permit the knob 18 to pass over the surface 31 on the keeper. When the door is fully closed the knob 18 Will be home in the socket 21 and the finger 25 Will pass up along the surface 30 thus returning the parts to the lock position shown in Fig. 1. When in this position the door cannot be opened except by depressing the plunger 13.v Y

` Vhile We have described our device in considerable detail it will be obvious that many changes in these details and arrangement of parts may be made Without departing from our invention and We do not, therefore, desire to be 'considered as limited to the precise form shown and described.

Having thus described our invention what We claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device ofthe class described, a latch andkeeper, said latch comprising a spring pressed 'member projecting therefrom, an oscillating linger in position to Ye'nvgage the vrear of said member in normal position of the device, a plunger connected to said finger to depress the same, a spring tending to resist such action and tending to return both the plunger and linger to normal position after the same have been depressed, and means carried by said plunger adapted to engage a portion of said keeper to depress said plunger as said latch approachesV saidv keeper. A

. 2. In a device'of the class described, a latch and keeper, said latch comprising a spring pressed .knob projecting therefrom, an oscillating finger in position to engage the rear of said knob in normal position of the device, a plunger connected to said finger, an operating handle or knob carried by said plunger and'arranged for manually depressing theY plunger and finger, a lspring tending to resist such action, and a finger carried by said plunger adapted toV engage a portion of said keeper to depress Said plunger as said latch approaches said keeper.-

3. In a device 'of Ithe class described, a latch and keeper, said latch comprising a Vspring pressed knob projectingtherefrom,

an oscillating fingeri'n position to engage the rear of said knob in normal position of Vthe device, a plunger' pivotally'connected to said finger' to* depress the saine, a spring tending to resist such action and tending to lretuirnbeth the plunger and fingerl to their aormalipos--tieaafter the 'saine have been depressed, and a lingei1 rigidly carried by said plunger and adapted lto engage a cam lug on said keeper as said latch approaches said keeper.

4. In a device of the class described, a latch and keeper, said latch comprising a spring pressed knob projecting therefrom, an oscillating 'finger in position to'engage the rear of said knob in normal position of the device, a plunger connected to said finger, an operatinghandle or knob carried by said plunger and arranged for manually depressing the plunger and finger, a springV tending to resist such action, and a finger rigidly carried by said plunger, said keeper comprising a recess adapted to receive said knob and a cam lug adapted to engage said last mentioned finger to depress said plunger and free said knob to'movement against its spring. f

Yger to depress the same, a spring tending Vto resist such action, and a finger rigidly carried by said plunger, said keeper comprising a recess adapted to receive 'said' knob and a cam lug shaped to engage said last Y mentioned finger to depress said plunger, to

retain said plunger depressed for a certainV length of travel, and then to permit said Y finger to rise behind the said lug.

6. In a device of the class described, a

latch andkeeper, said latch comprising a face plate having an opening therein, a knob,

a leaf spring secured to said' face plate at one end and mounting said knob at its free end in position to project through the `opening in the face plate, a rotatable spindle having a finger projecting ltherefrom in position tol engage the rear of said spring, a plunger connected to said linger to depress'the same, 110

a spring tending to resist such action, and

a linger rigidly carried by said plunger, said keeper comprising a recess adapted to receivev said knob anda cam lug adapted toV engage said last mentioned linger to depress said plunger, to retain said plunger de* pressed for a certainY length of travel, and phen to permit said finger to rise behind said ug K j v 7. Ina device of the class described, a latch and keeper, said latch'comprising a member resiliently 'projected therefrom, an oscillating linger in position to engage said member in normal position of the device to lockv the same in projected position, a plunger connected to said finger to move the finger from and into the path of said member, a spring tending to resist the movement of said finger from the path of said meinser, ana alam.Y aras-a by a@ plunger am'V adapted to engage a portion of said keeper to shift said plunger as said latch approaches said keeper.

8. In a door lock, the combination with a casing, of a plunger movable in said casing and havinga part projecting therefrom, a locking member projecting from said casing, releasable locking means whereby said member is locked in its projected position, a spring for actuating said plunger and said means and Ytending to move the latter into position to lock said member, means for retaining said locking means in its unlocked position While the door is being closed, said retaining means being arranged to be released to permit the operation of said plunger and locking means by said spring, when the door is finally closed.

9. In a door lock, the combination with a casing, of a locking member normally projecting therefrom, a plunger having a part thereof disposed Within said casing, an operating handle or knob carried by said plunger and arranged for manually operating the same, means, comprising a part movable with the plunger, for locking said member in its projected position, a spring for moving said plunger and locking means into locking position, and a keeper-operable means for retaining said locking means in its unlocked position While the door is beingk closed, but arranged to be released to permit said plunger and locking means to be operated by said spring, When the door is finally closed.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto affixed our signatures.

EDWIN CROMPTON. CHARLES L. CROOKS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

